All The King's
by Rhistel Gold
Summary: Game designer Zoe Payton's life was routine: get up, go to work for Bioware, come home, sleep, repeat. One day, Zoe awakens to find that she's no longer designing the game she loves - she's living it. Follow Zoe as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that Thedas is now home, and the characters she designed are very much real. [crappy summary- please read! M for later!]
1. Blackout

_A/N: Alright! Welcome to yet **another** of my Dragon Age fanfics! For those of you who know me from "Pretender" and my Lion series (still in the works), thank you for jumping on this wagon as well! :3_

_There are a few of these types of fics running around; normal girl from outside of the game suddenly gets thrust into the throes of the Blight without knowing what the hell is going on, etc. I hope I do the category justice; this is definitely a new one for me._

_That said, let's just jump straight into it, shall we? :3 **[DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Dragon Age, Mass Effect, or any of the characters within said games. The ownership of said games and characters remains property of Bioware. Zoe Payton is my own creation.**]**_

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><p><em><strong>BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!<strong>_

"Nnngh..." a hand stretched lazily toward the infernal sound, slamming down hard on the button once it had found purchase on the object emitting said noise. After lingering for a moment, it retracted, and a light flickered on, illuminating the room. "Fuck's sake..." came a grumbled moan from the owner of the hand, followed by an exasperated sigh. "Up and at 'em, I guess." Shuffling ensued, and before long, Katherine Zoera Payton was standing at the side of her bed, looking down longingly at the soft mattress before she padded into the bathroom to wake herself up with a shower.

Katherine, who much preferred to go by Zoe, a shortened version of her middle name, rubbed her eyes as she tapped a few buttons on the wall of the shower, water streaming from the rain-head suspended from the ceiling. She had installed the new shower head only a week previously, and relished it as she stood lazily beneath the scalding water.

After thoroughly scouring her body with exfoliating soap and washing and conditioning her hair, Zoe stepped from the shower and smacked the control panel on the wall again, turning the shower off instantly. Grabbing a moss-green terry cloth towel from the rack on her left, she deftly looped it around her slender, size 5 frame twice, tucking the loose end inside the top of the towel to create a 'dress' of sorts. Reaching for a second, she bent herself over, rubbing the towel through her hair for a few minutes, squeezing gently to coax the excess water from the strands.

Straightening after several more minutes of ruthlessly towelling her hair, Zoe dried the rest of her body off rather quickly before pulling on her usual work uniform – a graphic tee depicting a scene from one of the many games the company she worked for had published, and a pair of tight-fit jeans. On her feet were a pair of high-top sneakers in bright orange, and on her wrist was the bracelet she'd been gifted upon being hired by the company.

Her usual routine had allowed her hair several moments to dry on it's own, and Zoe pulled her fingers through it several times before gazing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Long, loose waves hung to her waist, and Zoe admired the dye-job she'd completed the night before once again. Her hair was black from the roots to roughly half it's length before it faded into a chocolate brown for another few inches before it flared into a blaze of glory – literally. Hues of brick red and fiery orange stretched from the edges of the brown until the ends of her hair, and looked like fire from their haphazard placement.

Grinning with pride, Zoe quickly applied her usual face – light concealer to hide her dark circles, natural shades of eye shadow accompanied by excellently drawn eyeliner that resembled a cat's eyes, and berry-flavoured lip balm. Satisfied with her appearance, she meandered to the kitchen to grab something quick to eat before noticing what time it was. Swearing loudly, she grabbed her keys and her phone before dashing down to her car, booking it to work.

Once parked, she assessed her appearance again before she headed into the building, swiping her bracelet at the door to gain access. Smiling when she entered the lobby, she took a moment to appreciate where she worked, it still rendering her speechless after being with the company for the 6 years that she had. "Earth to ZoZo!" a familiar voice called to her, making her laugh as she turned to face her colleague. "Good morning David." she offered with a sheepish smile, which he returned. "I know, it's fascinating to realise that you work for Bioware on a daily basis Ms. Lead-Designer, but **you** are very late for a production meeting. Ray sent me to get you."

Zoe groaned softly before she hurried along to the conference room, slipping in and shooting a very apologetic look at her superiors before she settled into her seat, pulling the folio in front of her open so she could read the contents. "Glad you could join us, Ms. Payton. Perhaps on time, next time?" Ray shot at her with a knowing look, making her cower slightly. "Yes, sir." She mumbled softly, busying herself with the ledger in front of her to avoid looking at him.

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><p>The meeting lasted a few hours, and by the end of it, all Zoe wanted to do was get to her computer and work more on restructuring some of the designs for companions in several of games that had already been released. The design team had insisted on patching the games, trying to make the companions and the protagonists more relatable to players, which Zoe could understand. It was now her job to make sure that the changes went according to plan, and the pressure was stressing her out.<p>

Mumbling a few more curses under her breath, Zoe booted up her computer, waiting impatiently for it to come on. As she waited, she glanced at her notepad, having jotted down several companions and games who needed particularly special attention paid to them. Frowning, she noticed that her personal favourite companion, Alistair Theirin, of the company's _Dragon Age_ series, had made the list of those who needed some reworking, and she flipped to the page containing his information. Apparently, many players found the poor man too whiny and naïve, and had requested that he gain some more maturity as well as a less self-deprecating nature. The rest of the design team had also requested a rework of his physique, deciding that the templar needed a bit more muscle and better proportions.

Sighing, Zoe started up the game and her design programs, and set to work on making the changes noted. She wasn't happy about having to change Alistair, but if she wanted to keep her job, she knew she had to do it. Pulling the electronic drawing tablet she had beside her down to her lap, she began to sketch out Alistair's new look, first beginning with his face.

She began with the outlines of his face, sketching out his chiselled jaw and strong brow features first before she added his facial hair and his eyes. When she began to draw his nose, she pondered a little bit, choosing to make it just a tiny bit crooked, as if it had been broken and then reset in the field. Once satisfied with it, she moved onto his eyes, widening them slightly and altering the colour. While she admired Alistair's hazel eyes, she knew that blue was dominant in his genetics, so she changed them to be more of a hazel-blue hue. Zoe also strengthened the lines of his jaw, still keeping them relatively soft but also squaring them off slightly.

Glancing up at the computer to ensure that the changes were registering as she added them, she began to sketch out the rest of his body. Many of the female designers on staff, Zoe included, had described Alistair to be an Adonis inspired figure, so in keeping with the stronger theme, Zoe added more definition to several muscle groups, paying special attention to his pectoral and arm muscles. She also added more muscle to his core muscle groups, knowing that he would have gained quite a lot of it from constantly carrying a shield and being a front-line defender.

When she realised that she would have to draw the poor templar nude, she flushed a rather flattering shade of crimson before sketching what needed to be sketched. She kept everything realistic, but knowing that Alistair was going to be of stronger build meant that particular anatomy would also have to change to be proportionate. Tapping the stylus against her chin thoughtfully, she paused for a moment before she continued her work, trying not to linger too long on...that particular region.

When the front of his body was complete, Zoe quickly sketched his posterior, adding more muscle to his shoulders and back, as well as his ass. She grinned to herself as she imagined being able to grab his newly toned rear end, and couldn't help the rather girlish giggle that escaped once she was done with him. Rendering the model on the computer took less time than drawing it on the tablet, since most of the work was already done. All she had to do was add the wiring and send it for approval. Once it was approved, it would be sent to animation, who would then send it back to her to be implemented.

While she waited, Zoe altered his personality complex as well, hardening him slightly so that players would not feel like they were travelling with an oversized man-child. She kept his witty humour the same, and added new dialogue as well as lengthening conversations with every party member. Personally, she always thought that the conversations were too vague and too short, and she knew several million players who felt the same way.

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><p>Lunch hour came and went, and Zoe was surprised to see that the animation and design department had already approved and wired Alistair to be implemented that afternoon. They had also added several appreciative notes, and pride swelled within her as she settled down to add the new Alistair to the game.<p>

She repeated the process with all the listed companions, some of whom she was surprised to see listed and others she was not so surprised to see. Unsurprisingly, many of the companions came from _Dragon Age _and _Mass Effect, _the company's two most popular titles, and Zoe made sure that her work was up to her ridiculously high standards before she sent it onward. Wynne, Leliana, Morrigan, Kaiden, and the main characters from both games had all received work-overs from Zoe, and she had even spent the last 4 hours of her day in the recording studio at David's request, recording the voice for _Dragon Age'_s female Cousland origin, something she was honoured to do.

Players had been crying out for the Warden to have a voice, and the designers had finally had to relent. Zoe took on Elissa Cousland's voice, while the company elected to have some well-known actors and actresses come in to record for the others. Zoe had a nice chat with Steve Valentine and Peter Bramhill, the voice actors for Alistair and Cailan, laughing softly as the two complimented her on her acting skills and the additions of the new dialogue options. Normally it would have taken months for Bioware to record the new vocal talents and the dialogue, but Steve and Peter had been visiting the company anyway to see what they had going on.

When the end of her long work day finally came, Zoe was beat. She packed her bag tiredly, making sure that she brought her drawing tablet and laptop home with her so that she could continue working on patching the game before it was released publicly, as well as several other projects that she had been allotted.

The drive home was refreshing, but after the day she'd had, all Zoe wanted to do was collapse into bed and forget about work for at least six hours, though she knew it wouldn't happen with the amount of work she still had to finish. Thankfully, she had already added Alistair and Cailan's changes into the game before she'd recorded her lines for Elissa, so there was one less task she had to immerse herself in when she arrived home.

Once home, she sank onto her bed after locking up, booting up her laptop with every intent on finishing her work. However, she didn't even get a chance to enter her password to log in before she felt a sudden blackness closing in on her. It was so unexpected that the only thing she was able to mutter before she passed out was, "Well, shit."

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><p><em>AN: Thanks for reading! Hopefully it wasn't overly boring and allowed everyone a brief look into Zoe's life!_

_I thank Bioware for allowing me to play in their sandbox :3_

_Please favourite, follow, and review!_

_See you all in the next chapter! _


	2. Revelations

_**A/N**: Thank you to all who sent me messages regarding the last chapter of this fic and demanding I write more of it! I definitely plan to keep going with this one, as well as "Pretender" and my Lion series :) _

_I don't own anything aside from Zoe Payton – everything else belongs in Bioware's sandbox._

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><p>When Zoe woke some time later, she became vaguely aware of two things: one was that she was not on a comfortable surface at all, and the second was that she had not a clue in hell where she was. Still groggy and out-of-sorts from whatever had happened back in her apartment, she pushed herself up weakly, feeling like gravity was pressing even harder on her than usual. When she looked up after rubbing her bright amber eyes, however, it wasn't gravity at all, but a huge hound with curious eyes.<p>

Letting out a shriek, Zoe hastily tried to shove the animal off of her, scrambling to her feet when she finally managed to shift the weight of the massive beast. Drawing in a shaky breath, she took inventory of herself, gasping when she noticed her attire had changed. Instead of her shirt and jeans, she wore a rather impressive set of armour: black leather pants with two straps around her thighs, chunky metal boots, a belt that had several pouches on it as well as two longer, closed off sections. She also had on a light cloth shirt beneath a cropped black leather breastplate, spaulders that were reinforced with metal like her boots, and a long cloak with a hood she could draw up to hide her face. She also noticed that a pack was strapped to her back, and it was full of essential travelling gear.

Her hair, thankfully, remained as wildly coloured as she had made it, and her ears and nose were still home to the piercings she'd had for the last 10 years. When she was sure that she was not injured in any way, she raised her head again to glance around, and almost screamed when she realised where she was. Of course, she'd be a fool not to recognise the game she had spent the better part of 6 years developing.

"This is not happening. This can't be happening. I'm dreaming. There's no fucking way I'm in Thedas, _Dragon Age _isn't real. This is **not **happening." she mumbled out loud, pushing a hand through her hair as she tried to gain control over her panicked breathing. As she did, she paced back and forth for several moments, trying to convince herself to wake up from whatever nightmare she'd fallen into.

The entire time she was doing this, the hound who had been sitting on her was watching her with somewhat of an amused expression on his face, tongue lolling out to the side as he waited for her to come to terms with herself. Finally realising that there was no way this was a dream, Zoe looked over at the hound. Suddenly struck with inspiration, she decided to test whether this was real or not by calling out to him using the name she had always given her mabari hound when she played. "Max! Let's go!"

To her amazement, the hound jumped up and obediently walked to her side, only solidifying further that this was not a dream at all. How she had managed to find herself flung inside the world she had designed, however, was not something Zoe wanted to dwell on for the moment. "Alright. Where in the world are we." She mumbled aloud to herself, deciding to search herself for a map. She found several maps, found out that the closed sections of the belt were in fact throwing knife pockets, and the straps on her thighs were sheaths for daggers. The pockets on the belt housed a variety of items, including peppermints, Zoe noticed with amusement. There were a million lockpicks in one of the pockets, biscuits she could only assume were for Max in another, along with a couple of trap triggers and some vials in various colours. It didn't take her long to figure out that the red ones were health potions, the blue were lyrium (though why she had these was beyond her), and the yellow were for stamina, should she find herself bereft of such.

Frowning slightly, she consulted the maps as she walked with Max at her side, occasionally pinching herself to try and wake up, a practice she ended up abandoning after the massive hound whined at her. She determined that as long as she managed to find a road with crude sign-postings, she would be fine.

Thankfully, Zoe noted as she wandered the wilderness, the boots were incredibly comfortable to walk in, as was the armour, even despite the blazing sun that was beating down on the pair. An hour into their journey, she managed to find a road with a signpost and was surprised to see that she was only a few hours journey from Ostagar. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to head that direction, thankful for something relatively familiar to her. Max was actually great company as they walked, and shortly into their trek toward the imposing ruin, she stopped to let him drink from the waterskin she had located in her pack. He had chuffed gratefully at her, and she'd ruffled his fur before continuing on.

Zoe was surprised at how at-ease she felt within the world of Thedas, even given her initial panic. She chalked it down to the fact that it was something she had spent years designing, though she wasn't entirely convinced she wasn't having a very lucid dream. Several times she had to stop to make sure she hadn't veered off of the Imperial Highway somehow, and eventually Max began to lead the way for her, barking in what sounded like a vaguely exasperated fashion. Shrugging an apology at the dog, she followed quietly, trying to set her mind on a to-do list once she got to the camp at the ruins. She knew she'd have to find a way to procure weapons, though how she was going to pay for them was anyone's guess, and she would have to try and prevent the disaster she knew was coming, if it hadn't already begun to develop.

Groaning as she realised that she would also have to come up with a back-story for herself that was even remotely believable, she pulled out a small quill-pen she'd found along with a small leather bound journal, and began to jot down ideas. This was one time she was grateful she'd spent hours agonising over even the most obsolete of characters in the game; each one had a story, even the ones most players didn't interact with, and her background in this department assisted her greatly in coming up with something she hoped people would believe.

Zoe elected to keep her name the same, and created an elaborate story for her family. The Payton family was a minor noble house, not well-known enough to have a say in the Landsmeet, but high enough up the totem pole to be respected by the people. Her father, Bann Derrik Payton, was the lord of Wharington, a small area above the northern cusp of Amaranthine. Her mother, Lady Helene Payton, was a talented seamstress and had been present at Cailan and Anora's wedding, having assisted in the extravagant design of the Queen's dress. Zoe herself had also been present, but not obviously so. She also created a younger sister for herself, naming her Margaret, as well as a younger brother she dubbed Liam.

Satisfied with her story, she slipped the journal back into her pack, noting that Ostagar had finally come into view. Seeing it in the game several times still didn't quite put how massive it was into perspective, and Zoe swallowed thickly as she looked upon the ruins. It was imposing, but it also invoked a powerful emotional response. A lot of tragedy had taken place here, especially during the game's timeline, and the air felt heavy with regret. Steeling her shoulders and collecting her thoughts, Zoe stepped onto the path that wound through the ruin itself, taking care not to disturb anything.

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><p>It took the better part of another hour to finally reach the gates of the camp, and Zoe noted with relief that there was only a small contingent of the King's army there, along with the few Fereldan Grey Wardens that there were. Zoe spotted Duncan almost immediately, and swallowed hard again as she gazed at the Warden-Commander. She had worked very hard on Duncan, and it was rather emotional to see her hard work in person. She overheard him speaking with several of the other Wardens, and smiled when she heard the fatherly overtone in his authoritative voice.<p>

One of the junior Wardens caught her looking, and must have said something about it to him, because he turned to look at her curiously not a moment later. Quickly casting her eyes down, Zoe made to walk toward the quartermaster, Max following closely at her heels. Duncan managed to reach her before she managed her task though, and bowed quite lowly to her. "My lady Payton, it's a surprise to see you here in Ostagar."

Zoe drew in a sharp breath, somehow managing to choke on the air she inhaled. Sputtering and coughing for a few minutes with a rather amused Duncan looking on, she tried to collect herself. She'd only written herself into the game an hour earlier. How in the world did he know who she was?

When she was sure she could speak without embarrassing herself, she pulled herself upright and spoke clearly. "I apologise for that display, Commander." This was one of the times Zoe was glad she had been raised by an English family while living in Canada – her accent was natural. "It is wonderful to see you, though I wish it were under better circumstances." She offered a polite smile toward the wisened Commander, finding him still bearing a rather amused smile.

"Quite alright, my lady. I'm surprised you got here so quickly, considering it is quite the journey from Wharington." His eyes told her that he knew she wasn't really from Thedas, and she sighed softly, dropping her voice to a low hum. "You know." was the only thing she said, and he inclined his head once before he responded, "Yes, though this will require a bit of explanation, even for me to believe." Zoe grumbled softly, but nodded in agreement. The two of them made plans to discuss her situation after he had concluded his business with the Wardens, and she made her way to the quartermaster after finding a surprisingly heavy pouch of gold in her pack.

She examined the weapons thoroughly, and when she found no fault with them, she purchased a pair of wicked looking daggers, as well as a crossbow just in case she found herself unable to handle hand-to-hand combat. Handing over the required amount of coin, she smiled at the quartermaster and took her purchases, as well as a sharpening stone and quiver she'd also purchased, and found a spare place to kip for a while as she waited for Duncan to speak with her.

Drawing the daggers into her lap, Zoe began to methodically sharpen the blades, humming an old Irish song softly as she did, the music helping take her mind off of things as she worked. Thankfully, sharpening daggers was no different to sharpening her cooking knives, so she managed not to injure herself while doing it, a feat she was sure a lot of the men in the camp were intrigued by. She'd already garnered herself several appreciative looks from the soldiers, and she had shaken her head every time she'd noticed, rolling her eyes as she busied herself with her task. Max on the other hand had growled at every man who had tried to make a pass at her, much to her amusement.

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><p>Once she was satisfied with the blades, she tucked them into the sheaths at her thighs and leaned her head back against the stone wall she'd propped up against. Pulling her cloak up to cover her face as well as her wildly coloured hair, she closed her eyes, intent on grabbing a little bit of a nap before Duncan came to discuss her unique circumstances. However, her quiet time was short lived when she heard the familiar voice of Duncan approaching, and a second set of footsteps at his side. When she lowered the hood and came face to face with her newly improved version of King Cailan, she flushed crimson and scrambled to her feet, bowing lowly to the young king, mumbling a hasty, "Your Majesty," as she did.<p>

A quiet chuckle rumbled from Cailan's chest, and he bade her rise. Duncan nodded approvingly at her, and Cailan studied her quietly. "I know you." he eventually offered, though Zoe could tell how he knew her was confusing him. "Though I can't exactly place where from." he added, a sheepish smile pulling at his mouth.

"My circumstances are...unique, your Majesty." Zoe offered meekly, motioning for the two men to accompany her to an unoccupied area of the camp where they were less likely to be overheard. She had Max stand guard as they conversed, something the hound was happy to do. "As you have no doubt guessed, I'm not really from Thedas." She began, twining her fingers nervously, avoiding the gaze of either man. "I am, or rather was, the lead designer of this world." At their confused glances, she hastily explained. "Thedas is the creation of David Gaider, a rather excellent writer, and where I'm from, it is the location of several video games. Video games are a source of entertainment for all ages where I'm from. It's...complicated." She added before they could think to question her.

"My world is full of machines and science, not magic. Though, technically, science could be considered magic." Shaking her head, she continued. "I designed the games based on David's instructions. You, and everything in Thedas, is the product of his imagination and my hard work." She rubbed her neck a little bit, blowing out a sigh. Cailan rubbed his also, and Duncan appeared thoughtful. "On Earth, where I live, this 'game'-" at the word game, she motioned to everything around them, "- is enjoyed by millions of people from all origins of life. Unfortunately, it takes place at the same time as the Blight is, and can be changed so it follows a variety of Warden recruits." Duncan raised an eyebrow, and Zoe smiled weakly at him.

"You chose to either go to Highever and recruit a Cousland, to Orzammar to aid King Endrin – where you will either recruit his second eldest child or a casteless dwarf-, to the Dalish camp in the Brecilian Forest after stumbling upon a severely injured elf in the forest who has already been Tainted, or you rescue an elf from the Denerim alienage." She rattled off, drawing in a breath at the end as Duncan stared at her with a rather impressed expression.

Deciding to turn the attention to Cailan, she spoke very quietly, "I know you have several important Crown secrets in the chest within your tent in camp, your Majesty. I also know that your half-brother Alistair is a Grey Warden under careful guardianship from Duncan as well as the other senior Wardens. I also know you were considering putting Anora aside for failing to produce an heir to the throne since you married." Cailan blanched at this, shaking his head slightly as he murmured, "I would never do that to her. Even if she is barren, I still adore her." Zoe offered a quiet apology before she continued with her explanation.

"In this game..." She swallowed, looking down at her hands. "Loghain betrays you both on the field of battle here at Ostagar, after Duncan sends Alistair and his choice of Warden recruit up to the tower of Ishal to light the beacon." Cailan and Duncan both stared at her, surprised at her knowing the plan of attack, and also horrified at the news of Loghain turning traitor, but she knew she had to finish despite her voice being laden with emotion. "He withdraws his forces, and you both perish in the valley." Her voice cracked as she admitted the part of the game she had abhorred designing, and turned away from both men, refusing to cry in front of them. "Whatever you decide to do, believe me or not, you cannot allow him to betray you." She whispered softly, Max coming up to gently butt his nose against her leg, chuffing sadly at her.

Duncan gently lay a hand on her shoulder after a moment of hushed discussion with Cailan, and Cailan followed suit."We believe you, my lady." Duncan eventually spoke, his voice quiet and tinged with a mix of emotions that Zoe couldn't quite place. Drawing in a shaky breath, she spoke again, her words ringing with sincerity, "I won't sit here and watch you walk to your deaths. I will help you where I can, if you wish it of me." Zoe turned to look at the two of them then, her amber eyes hardening with determination. When she was met with two smiles, she relaxed slightly. Shrugging his shoulders, Cailan withdrew the hand he had on Zoe's shoulder before stating simply, "Well, we'd best get started."

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><p><em><strong>AN**: Alright! Let's see if we can change the course of history, hmm? Should be fun! :)_

_Please remember to favourite, follow, and review! I'd love to hear what you have to say!_

_See you in the next chapter!_


	3. New Light

_**A/N:** There were several questions posed in light of last chapter in terms of how she recognised Thedas, and hopefully most of them will be answered in the next couple of chapters, although I will shed a little light here: Zoe designed most of the Dragon Age game in this story. It'd be very obvious to the game's designer where they were if they did ever happen to end up there, no?_

_That said, Zoe will shed a bit more light in her conversations with our beloved King and Warden-Commander :)_

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><p>Zoe knew, despite their agreeing that they believed her rather vague story on how she knew what she did, that she had quite the task of explaining everything to both Duncan and Cailan. Rubbing her temples as she followed the two men to a section of camp that they suggested she could use as a more permanent place to stay, she thought on how best to explain how she recognised Thedas. To her, the answer was obvious: she had spent countless hours a day, 6 days a week over the course of three years designing the main aesthetics of the game with a design team numbering just 20 people strong. It would be seemingly ridiculous to her if she didn't recognise the game she'd made. If that didn't suffice enough for an explanation, where else would you find a massive mabari hound? Aside from that, she had simply let her instincts guide her, which was a reason she knew wouldn't hold up well against doubt, but it was the truth.<p>

Grumbling as she walked, she kicked a couple of stones in irritation, and Cailan eventually hung back enough to speak with her as they walked. He, of course, asked her how she'd realised that she was in Thedas, and she rattled off the same thoughts she'd just mulled over, adding a few more things as they came to her. Another big indicator of where she was was the armour she'd been clad in when she'd finally come around to realising she wasn't at home any more. The style was very distinguishable to Zoe, since she'd worked tireless with the animation team as well to make sure that the characters within the game could move easily in such an armour style.

Cailan nodded a few times, obviously mulling over what she was saying as well, doubt etched into his blue eyes even though he tried to hide it. Blowing out a frustrated sigh, Zoe spoke quietly. "Look, I know it sounds completely mental. Believe me, that thought has crossed my mind more than once since I got here." She began to play with her fingers again, a nervous habit that had formed when she was young. "How did Duncan know your name?" Cailan eventually questioned, shedding light on another question that had been burning in the back of Zoe's mind.

She had to admit, even she was at a loss on that. Remembering her journal, she retrieved it from her pack and showed it to Cailan, who busied himself with reading it. "All I can think of is that somehow what I wrote on that page was translated here without me ever inputting it through my computer programs back on Earth. I wrote myself into existence somehow while I was jotting down a story for myself to stick to, which is why people feel puzzled as to why or how they know this crazy looking woman. I'm technically not supposed to exist." Cailan seemed to regard this with some manner of disbelief, but he continued to read the notes Zoe had jotted down. When he reached the section describing the family's notoriety within Ferelden, he raised an eyebrow. "So **that's** why I felt like I knew you. You wrote me to have seen you before, at my wedding with Anora, if this notebook is anything to be believed." He handed the book back to her, thanking her quietly before he excused himself to his tent, still rubbing his neck slightly, clearly distressed.

Sighing softly, Zoe turned to Duncan, who had made his way to her while she had been watching the king. "I'm curious, my lady. I knew your name when we met, but have no recollection of how I know it." He murmured softly, also obviously uneasy with everything Zoe had relayed. Offering the journal to him as she had done with Cailan, she allowed Duncan to read what she had written. She had been incredibly thorough, including her father's military history, her mother's clientele, and her own exploits and training over her lifetime. A few times, Duncan raised an eyebrow thoughtfully as he skimmed through the notes, eventually handing the book back to her as well. "That explains a few things, then. Your father was someone I met after I became a Warden, but before I became Ferelden's Warden-Commander, according to what you have written here. He was one of the members of the first contingent of soldiers we Wardens encountered when we were allowed to return to Ferelden, after what Warden-Commander Sophia did to our Order."

He sighed softly at the memory, shaking his head before continuing. "From the sounds of your notes, he spoke of his family often and kept several portraits of them with him when he left for war. You also wrote that the Grey Wardens were invited to a tourney held in your honour when you turned eighteen, which explains why I knew you on sight." Duncan smiled warmly at Zoe before gestured for her to sit down. "I don't know if I believe your story entirely, however. Why would Teryn Loghain betray his king? His country? It sounds like conspiracy to me, and it would not bode well to have that news spreading through the camp." Zoe grimaced as she sat beside the commander, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"I know it sounds insane. Some random woman who everyone is unsure how they know claiming that Loghain is a traitorous bastard is never going to find any ground here. I know that. But I had to warn you, even if you didn't believe me. I had to at least make you doubt." She tapped her greaves thoughtfully as she sat there, staring at the dirt. "It's a little obvious I'm not from around here. My hair is insane, my accent doesn't really sound like it's from anywhere in Ferelden at all. I wrote myself into existence here in Thedas on a bloody notebook page, of all things!" She threw up her hands in annoyance, rising to her feet and walking over to look out at the Wilds below. "All of this is fucking insane. I'm not even sure I'm really here in Thedas. It feels like a very, very vivid dream."

She pushed her hands through her hair, shaking her head as she rest her hands against the stone wall a moment later.

Duncan, sensing that she wanted to be left alone, quietly excused himself back to the tent that the Wardens had set up, giving Max a soft rub on the head as he left. Zoe spent the half-hour staring into the valley below, trying to wrap her head around everything even still, 6 hours after she'd woken to find herself thrust into the world she had agonised over for three years. Maybe she was insane. Maybe she'd become so wrapped up in her projects that they had manifested into her dreams. Maybe...she shook her head. There were too many unanswered questions, and she was starting to feel very out of sorts.

Turning and walking back to where Max was guarding her pack, she quietly erected a tent using the poles and material that had been delivered while she was lost in her slew of thoughts. Night had also fallen while she'd been lost in her own mind, and fatigue was starting to catch up on her. Crawling into the tent, she set out a bedroll, collapsing onto it as soon as she was finished. She found herself thinking, just before she went to sleep, _ I want to wake up._

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><p>She didn't know how long she slept for, but the sounds of people chattering and swords ringing as soldiers practiced for the battles to come woke her when the sun was in the sky. Grumbling as she realised she was still at the ruins of Ostagar, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, rubbing at her eyes. She had slept very restlessly, tossing and turning all night, and there was a crick in her neck she was desperate to get out.<p>

Tilting her neck to one side, she gently pushed up on her chin, sighing in relief as a very satisfying 'pop' signalled that she'd managed to realign her bones to a more comfortable position by pushing the air out of the discs in her neck. Turning her head back to it's natural position, she left Max to guard the tent as she wandered the army camp curiously, wondering if Duncan and Cailan had given her notes any more thought over the night.

As she walked, she noticed that Duncan was already up and getting ready to saddle his horse and head for wherever he'd decided to recruit his last Warden from. Clearing her throat when she approached him and two other Wardens, she crossed her arms over her chest and bowed politely. "Warden-Commander, if I may have a moment?" She asked quietly, making sure her eyes were cast downward when she spoke. Duncan dismissed the two men at his side, and Zoe rose quietly. "I wanted to apologise for turning into a ball of rage during our discussion last night." She thought back to her outburst and rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I know all of this is hard for you, probably more so than it is for myself. I should not have let my emotions get out of control."

When she looked up at the Rivaini man, she found an amused grin on his face. "It's alright, my lady. We're all a little rattled by the news, I think." He swung up onto his horse with a thoughtful glance at her. When he spoke again, he had lowered his voice so that only she would hear. "I was wondering, since it is obvious that you know more about what's going on than you are willingly admitting to," at this accusation, Zoe coloured slightly and cast her gaze down again, "Would you be so kind as to accompany me to Highever? I have a keen interest in the a couple of recruits that way. Your hound can either choose to accompany us, or he can remain here with Ser Keiran, my second."

Zoe thought about it for a moment before she whistled for Max, having her pack already slung over her shoulder. "I think I'll bring him with me, if that's alright." She murmured, still uneasy about the situation she was in. Nodding at her, Duncan motioned to a beautiful black stallion that was being lead toward her. "I took the liberty of securing a mount for you for the journey. I assume you know how to ride?" Zoe shot him a dirty look that screamed 'duh' before she swung up onto the saddle, attaching her pack to one of the saddlebags. With a laugh, Duncan urged his mount forward, Zoe following suit.

When the pair were clear of prying ears, Duncan spoke again. "I still do not believe everything you say, my lady Payton, but I do believe you wrote yourself into existence here somehow. It does seem rather strange, but for now, I think we will focus more on the threat of the rising darkspawn threats and less on whether or not people will believe you." He shot her a glance, his gaze softening when he saw that she was still very shaken. "From the looks of things, it would appear that this is no dream. I encourage you to try and make the best of this situation, however. You seem a little more unsettled than you were last night; did you not sleep well?"

Zoe shook her head, swallowing thickly. "I just...I have no idea how to react to all of this. On one hand, I'm ecstatic. I loved creating the games, I loved creating the characters in the games. Thedas was where I escaped to when things got too heavy to deal with." She drew in a shaky breath before continuing, "On the other hand, however, I'm absolutely terrified. How did this happen? Is it real? Am I imagining this? Am I insane?" She looked over at him, uncertainty written all over her face.

"I mean, I blacked out in my apartment back in Canada, on Earth. When I wake up, I'm suddenly in Thedas. I have a dog sitting on me that is obviously **my** dog, I recognise my surroundings almost instantly. Its as if I just fell asleep in the middle of a field somewhere next to the Imperial Highway! How the hell do I react to that? How am I supposed to make any sense of this?" She rubbed her face angrily, Max whining softly at her. "Then somehow, as I'm trying to make a back-story for myself to use if people ask where I'm from, I've suddenly managed to write myself into existence and no one knows how they know me. It's...overwhelming." Her voice cracked and she shook her head, turning her attention to the road for a moment as she mulled it all over.

"It sounds overwhelming, my lady, but if you over-think it you're only going to end up making it worse than it is." Duncan admonished gently, making Zoe sigh softly. "I know." She murmured softly before she glanced over at the commander. "And please, call me Zoe. Being called 'my lady' is making me panic. I've never been a proper lady; just as my adopted parents." She rolled her eyes, tousling her hair as she tried to get herself to relax. "You're right though. I just need to make the best of this. It should prove relatively interesting, at least. Though how I'm going to survive with no technology...that's going to be a fun challenge." She grumbled, already missing her music and her phone. Duncan laughed heartily at her, and began to fill the time telling her stories of the Wardens as well as some Fereldan history so that she didn't feel completely out of sorts.

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><p>Zoe was surprised at how much of Thedas was never touched while people had played the games, and the more time she spent admiring her surroundings, the more she became glad she was there, despite it all. Turning to Duncan as they continued on their journey, nearing the area where they had agreed to make camp for the first night, she asked quietly, "You want to recruit the youngest Cousland more so than Roderick Gilmore, don't you?" Duncan laughed softly, but nodded. "Yes. Aedan is quite a skilled warrior, especially for his age. I know that the Teryn would have preferred he learned more of ruling the lands that the family has held for centuries, but he was insistent on learning to fight. He bested both his brother and Fergus at the melee held in Highever last year. He decided not to fight this year, however; apparently he was too busy running after noble daughters." Zoe burst out laughing as Duncan sighed, never having pictured the commander as one for gossip.<p>

"We'll be turning left at the next fork here; there is another warrior in Highever I wish to recruit." Duncan began, and Zoe looked at him. "Jory, right?" she asked quietly, dismounting when Duncan did and tying their mounts up together on a nearby branch. "Yes." Duncan answered as the two set up camp for the evening. "He's a strong warrior and has his heart in the right place. I just wonder if he's really up to the task." Zoe wisely kept her mouth shut on this matter, choosing instead to begin cooking for the two of them. She made a simple stew, and tore some of the bread rations they had brought with them to have with it.

Bellies full, Duncan insisted on taking the watch of the night, and Zoe reluctantly agreed. She settled down onto her bedroll, Max having decided to make himself useful as a pillow, and gazed up at the stars for a moment as she tried to fall asleep. Thedas was beautiful, even more so than she'd imagined, and the sky she found herself staring at was no different. Smiling faintly to herself, she muttered a quiet goodnight to Duncan before sleep claimed her once again, the sound of the fire crackling and Max's even breathing helping keep her asleep throughout the night.

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><p><em><strong>AN:**__I know it doesn't answer ALL of the questions, but I do hope that it answers SOME of them. Essentially, Zoe is going to spend a lot of time convincing a lot of people about this, but eventually she'll learn to not even mention it, and people won't think to question as long as she keeps herself blended in. _

_Though with that hair of hers...not going to be easy!_

_Thanks for reading! Please remember to favourite, follow, and review!_

_See you all in the next chapter!_


	4. UPDATE

_Hey everyone! Just updating you all so that you know I have not given up on this fic completely; however, I am going to place it on a hiatus for now until I figure out exactly where I want the story to head. I will likely go back and revise the previous chapters so that the story retains some cohesiveness instead of the jumbled mess it has become, and will likely post a mass-update when I manage to sort it out. _

_Until then, I will continue to update my other fanfictions:_

**Pretender**

**Through Flame**

**Lion's Call**

_Thanks so much for your continued support! I truly appreciate you guys being so honest with me in reviews and messages :)_

_Much love,_

**_Rhistel_**


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